Another link to Old Delhi: Jama Masjid Metro station to open later this year

Walking into the Jama Masjid Metro station of the Heritage Line will be akin to a heritage walk.

Metro construction near Jama Masjid in Old Delhi. The Metro’s Heritage Line scheduled to open later this year.(Saumya Khandelwal/Hindustan Times)

Walking into the Jama Masjid Metro station of the Heritage Line will be akin to a heritage walk.

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) is installing panels, showcasing the architecture of the mosque -- arches, minarets, jharokas, domes and marble inlays that form the imposing red sandstone building.

“The panels will depict the mosque both in its historical and present context,” said a DMRC spokesperson.

“Chandeliers will be used to highlight the beauty of the mosque’s imposing architecture. The mosque and its surroundings will be explained through an archival map showing its location in the imperial city of Shahjahanabad. A Google map will be used to explain its present setting in the city,” the spokesperson said.

Some panels will show the religious influences on Shahjahanabad, in the form of a montage of its various places of worship -- the Jain temple, the two Sunehri masjids, Gurduwara Sheesh Ganj Sahib, the Fatehpuri mosque and the lost Akbarabadi Masjid.

The station will be the third Metro link to the Walled City. At present, Chawri Bazar and Chandni Chowk stations provide connectivity to the historical city of Shahjahanabad.

The advantage that Jama Masjid station will provide is that it will help commuters escape the congestion in Chawri Bazar to reach the markets near the Mughal-era mosque. It will also provide connectivity from the Darya Ganj side.

The station will improve connectivity to Matia Mahal, Dariba Kalan and Chawri Bazar.

The station is surrounded by landmarks such as the Kasturba Hospital, Meena Bazaar market, Parda Bagh and Mahavir Vatika. The station will be located beneath the Subhash Park — once known as the venue of mud wrestling competitions or dangals.

To ensure smooth passage to the areas around the station, Metro has planned four entry/exits – one each near Red Fort, Netaji Subhash Marg, near Meena Bazaar towards Jama Masjid, and near Kasturba Hospital.

Metro officials said tunneling work has been completed on both sides of the station. “Tunneling between Delhi Gate and Jama Masjid was extremely challenging and a mid-shaft had to be constructed at Golcha cinema for retrieval of two Tunnel Boring Machine (TBMs). Three TBMs were used for tunneling from Jama Masjid to Delhi Gate as one had got stuck beneath Golcha after hitting a rock,” the spokesperson said.

The length of both tunnels from Jama Masjid to Delhi Gate and Red Fort is 1,067 metres.